MARKET

Advanced Bionics (AB), a global leader in
cochlear implant technology and a company of the Sonova Group, announced that
the HiResolution Bionic Ear System, featuring the HiFocus Mid-Scala electrode and
the Naída CI Q70 (Naída CI) sound processor, is commercially available in Vietnam.

Partnering with Phonak, the world leader in hearing instruments, AB brings its
innovative, industry-leading technology to Vietnam to help people for whom hearing aids
are no longer sufficient. With the Naída CI, AB delivers the most advanced sound
processor available, offering high-performance hearing and wireless connectivity with a
chic, modern instyle™ design. Now cochlear implant recipients have access to the
combined technologies of the innovation leaders in cochlear implants and hearing
instruments.

“The Naída CI combines AB technology with state-of-the-art Phonak technology
available in hundreds of thousands of hearing instruments,” said Thai Phuong Nguyen,
Director of Phonak Vietnam. “People using Phonak products who get a cochlear implant
from AB will be able to enjoy many of the same Phonak features and accessories. We
are excited that, with AB’s amazing technology, Phonak Vietnam can now offer a full
range of hearing solutions.”

Naída CI provides technology designed to increase speech understanding in noise,
100% wireless connectivity to consumer by leading brands, including bimodal
capabilities that allow streaming to a compatible Phonak hearing aid and a Naída CI
sound processor at the same time.

The internal component of the AB cochlear implant system includes the HiFocus Mid-
Scala electrode, delivering AB’s proprietary current steering technology for hearing that
more closely resembles normal hearing. The new HiFocus Mid-Scala array was
designed for optimal mid-scala placement in the cochlea to protect its delicate structures
and preserve residual hearing. Featuring the industry’s smallest pre-curved array, the
HiFocus Mid-Scala is the only pre-curved electrode developed for the latest soft surgery
approaches, including round window insertion, to suit surgeon preferences and
individual recipient needs.

“The Vietnamese language is tonal, meaning that a subtle difference in tone can change
the meaning of a word completely,” said Robert Gulock, Vice President of Asia-Pacific,
Advanced Bionics. “With AB’s HiRes Fidelity 120TM sound processing, we are able to
provide five times more spectral information to the cochlea, improving the performance
of users with tonal languages. In addition, AB is still the only company with a waterproof
sound processor, not only important for swimming or extreme sports, but for humid
environments like Vietnam. We are delighted and honored to have the chance to bring
our technology to the people of Vietnam.”

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